THEY KNEW!

At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out with a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ (which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’). When some of those standing there heard this, they said, ‘Listen, He’s calling Elijah.’

Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. ‘Now leave Him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take Him down,’ he said. With a loud cry, Jesus breathed His last. The curtain of the temple was torn from top to bottom. And when the centurion who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how He died, he said, ‘Surely this man was the Son of God!’ (Mark 15: 33-39)

Jesus’ killers thought they knew. They were so certain that they had at last destroyed this blasphemer that they stood there to make sure that He was dead. They mocked and insulted a dying man because they believed they were right. They could go to bed that night with the satisfaction that they had finally rid themselves of the one man who got under their skin. They could get on with their lives in peace. But could they?

Strange how there were others who had no vested interest in Jesus but they knew. What about the earth and sky? For three hours the sun knew! Everything went black around the scoffers – so black that they could not see their hands in front of their faces. God veiled the light of the sun to shield His Son from their hostile eyes. This was no ordinary storm and certainly not a normal solar eclipse. Whoever heard of an eclipse that lasted for three hours? What went on the minds of His enemies as they stood there, unable to move in the darkness?

And the veil of the temple? How and why did it rip from top to bottom? It was so thick that it was said that not even a team of horses could rip it apart. Who tore it? How could it tear? There was no one in Israel who would dare to do something like that, even if they could. Only the high priest was allowed beyond that curtain and only once a year, with a strict ritual so that he would not die in that inner shrine if he did not fulfil his duty perfectly.

If God was responsible for the darkness, He must have also been responsible for tearing the veil in the temple. Why did He do that? What was He saying to His people? The ancient rabbis believed that the veil was God’s clothing, hiding Him from the prying eyes of His people. When He tore the veil, was He mourning for His Son by tearing His clothes, as the Jews did when they grieved for a loved one? Was He finally able to reveal Himself to His people because there was nothing between Him and them any more? Sin had been atoned for and removed. God was satisfied, and He invited His people to draw near. No more animal sacrifices or priests to intervene.

The Roman centurion knew. He was a pagan. He had no interest in the Jewish religion. He was there to do his duty, as unpleasant as it was – that was all. He had supervised and witnessed many crucifixions, but this one was different. Never had he seen a man die with such serenity and dignity. He was used to the victim’s screams and curses. He had heard it all and his heart was calloused to indifference by the suffering his men inflicted on them. As far as he was concerned, they were getting what they deserved.

He felt nothing for them, but this man . . .? His verdict was, ‘Not guilty.’ Why was Jesus being crucified? What had He done to deserve this terrible end? His very words and behaviour protested His innocence. When we put together the witness of all four gospels, what do we read? The words and attitude of an evildoer? He protested the loss of His Father’s felt presence in the words of His famous ancestor, David. He welcomed a sinner into Paradise with Him. He forgave those who did this to Him. Only once did He give an indication of His severe suffering – ‘I am thirsty!’ He entrusted His spirit to His Father and He died with a victory cry on His lips.

Was there any other person on earth who died on a cross like this? No! The centurion came to the only conclusion that fitted the evidence. Whatever he might have meant by it, he declared, ‘This man was the Son of God!’ Like Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian despot, a pagan through and through, who had to admit that the man he saw in the fire was no ordinary man, the centurion, not the Jews, admitted that Jesus was, after all, exactly who He claimed to be, Saviour, Messiah and the Son of God.

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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